PhD programs are offered in each of the Viterbi School’s eight academic departments, and are suited for those interested in pursuing specific areas of research and/or teaching at a university level. The PhD program generally takes 5 - 6 years to complete, and we strive to fully fund each student.

The Progressive Degree Program (PDP) is an accelerated BS + MS program which enables USC undergraduate students to take graduate level coursework while earning their BS degree. This option is only available to USC undergraduate students.

Graduate certificates are offered in a number of disciplines such as astronautics, software engineering, big data, and systems architecting & engineering. These programs require 5 courses to earn the certificate. Should you decide to apply for a Master’s program in the same discipline in the future, you are eligible to apply those courses from the certificate program to the Master’s program.

Note: Graduate certificate programs are listed with our Master's programs.

The Viterbi School is a leader in the online delivery of graduate engineering programs. More than 40 of our Master’s programs can also be earned online – a suitable fit for students who may be employed full time and are interested in earning their Master’s degree part time. For more information, visit our DEN@Viterbi online option pages.